Stopper assembly with sections having a series of concentric undulating interfitting ribs and grooves



May 9, 1967 L. w. HAWLEY 3,318,621

STOPPER ASSEMBLY WITH SECTIONS HAVING A SERIES OF CONCENTRIC UNDULATING INTERFITTING RIBS AND GROOVES Filed Oct. 11, 1963 INVENTOR. 7145/? W #4 WLEV United States Patent 3 318 621 STOPPER ASSEMBLY SECTIONS HAVING A SERIES OF CONCENTRIC UNDULATING IN'IER- FI'I'I'ING RIBS AND GROOVES Luther W. Hawley, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to The Joseph Dixon Crucible Company, Jersey City, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 315,583 1 Claim. (Cl. 287-2) This invention relates to stoppers and stopper rod assemblies.

In the steel industry, the increased steel tonnages require a longer pouring time and higher pouring temperatures and have given rise to a real problem in stopper rod assemblies.

In some stopper rod assemblies a bolt is inserted through a bore in the bottom of the stopper, the bore being plugged after the rod is in place and the bolt aflixed to the rod. The increased pouring temperature and increased tonnages cause accelerated erosion at the bottom or nose portion of the stopper, particularly in the case of stoppers having plugged bottoms.

Assemblies having the rod inserted from the top of the stopper have improved conditions and prevented excess erosion but have proven impractical as rods of large diameter have been embedded in the stopper head, giving rise to heavy repair jobs. Moreover, with stopper rod assemblies of the character described leakage of the molten steel into the interior of the stopper and past the seals has occurred.

This invention 'has for its salient object to provide a solid nose stopper, thus minimizing erosion and thermoshock cracks, and means for fastening it to the assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stopper and stopper rod assembly so constructed and arranged as to provide a greater and more effective seal between the stopper parts and between the upper stopper section and the sleeve above the stopper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stopper rod assembly so constructed that the rod does not enter the stopper nose and is not subjected to the extreme heat to which the stopper or stopper nose is subjected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stopper rod assembly so constructed and arranged that it will be economical in construction and can be easily and quickly assembled with the expenditure of minimum time and labor.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of this application, and in which FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a stopper rod assem- 'bly embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. -1 but showing the parts of the assembly in separated position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one half of the lower section of the stopper and a portion of the sleeve above the lower section; and

FIG. 4 shows modification of the contact surface of the stopper and the stopper section or sleeve above the lower section of the stopper.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings there is shown a lower stopper section having a solid nose and a downwardly extended threaded opening or recess 11, a plug 12 is threaded into the recess 11 and extends above the upper surface 13 of the stopper nose. A sleeve or upper stopper section 15 is disposed above the lower stopper section 10 and has an upwardly extending recess 16 which receives the threaded upper end of the plug 12. The sleeve has a downwardly extending bore 17 which receives the stop- "ice per rod 18 and has a collar or flange 19 on the lower end thereof which is disposed in the upper end of the recess 16.

There always exists the danger of molten steel seeping past the seals between the lower stopper section 10 and the upper stopper section or sleeve 15 and in order to prevent or minimize such leakage the upper surface 13 of the lower stopper section 10 and the lower surface 20 of the upper stopper section or sleeve 15 are formed with the concentric ribs 21 and grooves 22 and cement is used to secure these interfitting surfaces together.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the surfaces 13 and 20 are formed with concentric interfitting ribs 21 and grooves 22.

In FIGS. 1 and 3 a sleeve 25 is mounted above the sleeve 15 and the upper surface of the sleeve 15 and the lower surface of the sleeve 25 are formed with interfitting concentric ribs 27 and grooves 28. These interfitting surfaces are preferably coated with cement.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative form of interfitting surface in which the sleeve has formed thereon concentric square grooves 30 and the lower stopper section 10 has formed thereon concentric ribs 31.

It will be understood that the lower stopper section 10 and the upper stopper section or sleeve 15 may be connected in any desire-d manner and need not be connected by a threaded plug as shown in the drawings.

It will be evident that the undulation on the interengaging surfaces of the stopper and sleeve will provide a longer path from the outer surfaces of the stopper and sleeve to the central openings therein thereby minimizing or preventing molten metal from leaking into the central openings in the sleeves and stopper.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as expressed in the following claim.

What I claim is:

A stopper rod assembly comprising a stopper rod having a shaft portion and a flange portion; a two-section stopper, comprising an upper stopper section and a lower stopper section, said stopper sections being in a stacked one on top of the other relationship with only one mutual surface, said mutual surface being in the horizontal plane, said lower stopper section having a cylindrical recess therein extending downwardly from the upper surface thereof, said upper stopper section. having a cylindrical recess therein rising upwardly from the lower surface thereof and culminating intermediate the ends of said stopper section, said upper stopper section further including a cylindrical bore rising upwardly from said recess, said recess having a diameter larger than said bore such that a shoulder is formed on the top surface of said recess, said upper and lower stopper sections having a series of concentric undulating interfitting ribs and grooves in the plane of their mutual juncture; a threaded plug connecting said upper and lower stopper sections, said plug being accepted in the recesses in said upper and lower stopper sections, said plug not completely filling the recess in said upper stopper section but leaving an area having a height at least equal to the height of the flange on said stopper rod, said stopper rod extending only into said upper stopper section, said flange portion positioned above the means connecting said upper and lower stopper sections and below the shoulders formed in said recess such that said flange portion of said stopper rod never comes in contact with said lower stopper section, said shaft rising upwardly from said flange portion and being accepted in said cylindrical bore.

(References on following page) '1 a 4 References Cited by the Examiner 2,965,187 12/ 1960 Zeman 189-36 NIT P A N 3,040,400 6/1962 Coady 22-85 TE TS 22 85 3,183,564 5/ 1965 'Murton 22-85 a 2 0 2 1 2- 5 9/1886 Williams et a1. 22-85 9 1 966 Harley 2 8 I 5/ 1906 Hoifman 287-20 FOREIGN PATENTS 9/1924 Broadwell 287-127 485,211 5/1938 Great Britain. 9/ 1931 Brosivs et a1. 22-85 6/1952 Hidge 22 85 J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner. 3/1956 Shea 2285 10 B. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner. 6/1956 Moore 189-36 

